Box-fastener



- B0X PASTBNER. No. 34914 l Patented Sept. Z1, 1886.

I jt

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH J. MONAHAN, OF MILAUKEE, VISGONSIN.

Box-FASTENER.

n SEPECIFICATIN forming part of LettersPatent No. 349,514, dated September 21, 1886.

" Application filed May 17, 1886. Serial No. 202,421. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, JOSEPH J. MONAHAN, of Milwaukee, in the countyl of Milwaukee, and in the State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box- Fasteners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description thereof.

My invention relates to box-fasteners, and it consists in certain peculiarities of construction, as will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in

. which- Figure l represents a perspective View of of a box with my invention centrally applied thereto; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of a portion of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an enlarged detail sectional view; Fig. 4, a perspective detail of the lock-plate and its attachments; Fig. 5, a 1ongitudinal section of a box illustrating another forni of my device; Fig. 6, a transverse section of- Fig. 5, and Fig. 7, a sectional view, showing still another form of my device.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A represents the body of a box, and B the lid thereof.

In one form of my invention the boxbody A is provided near its top with a transverse brace, C, having secured thereto, preferably in the center, an arrow headed tongue, D. This tongue, in one form of my invention, has a screw-threaded shank, a, that forms the medium for securing the same to the transverse brace C, though it is obvious that said tongue may be formed with a plate, b, having perforations for screws c, as illustrated in other forms of my invention, (shown by Figs. 5, 6, and 7 to be hereinafter described.

The box-lid B has an aperture, el, and secured to the under side of this lid is a transverse cleat, E, that is also' provided/with an aperture, e. Interposed between the lid B and cleat E is a plate, F, preferably provided with depending points f, that impinge the cleat to prevent dislocation of said plate, though it is obvious that other means may be employed for a like purpose.

Pivotally connected to the plate F are fin-v have shoulders g, designed to automatically engage the arrow-headed tongue D when said lid is placed in position on the box-body A.

Hinged to the top of the plate F, at right angles to the fingers G, is a gravity-latch, I-I, designed when closed down to come between the upper ends of said lingers, to thus retain the lower ends thereof in their engagement with the arrow-headed tongue D. The upper ends of the iingersG are each provided with a slot, 71, or perforation and through these openings are passed a iieXible strip, I, designed to come over the latch H, and have its ends united by suitable seal, K, as shown by Fig. 2, and over the aperture d in the lid B it is intended to place a paper seal or stamp when the boX. is packed, fastened, and ready for shipment. l

To automatically disengage the fingers .G from the tongue D when the latch His raised, I provide said tongue with springs z', that exert theirforce in an outward direction, this construction being illustrated by Fig. 3.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 I show the part D as having a plate, b, secured by screws c to an inner side of the box-body A, and the transverse brace C entirely omitted. As shown by Fig. 6, in this form ot' my invention I provide the transverse cleat E on the lid B with dowelpins k, that engage corresponding recesses, m, in an adjacent side of the box-body A opposite the tongue D, when said lid is placed in its closed position. only to bring the fastening mechanism into register, but also act in themselves as a means for securely fastening that side of the box-lid from which they project. In place of the dowels I may employ hinges, as illustrated in dotted lines, same figure.

In Fig. 7 I show the tongue D as having but one shoulder, and the lower portion of one of the iingers G accordingly omitted, this construction serving to somewhat cheapen the device.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A box-body provided with a stationary tongue, the lid provided with pivoted iingers that automatically engage the tongue,'and a gravity-latch hinged to said lid and arranged SeV The dowel-pins serve not IOO to fall between the fingers when the abovenamed engagement takes place, as set forth.

2. A box-body provided with a tongue, the lid provided with pivoted fingers to engage said tongue, and a latch adapted to be interposed between said fingers, in combination with a iiexible strip passed through the iingers over the latch and united at its ends by a suitable seal, as set forth.

3. A box-body provided with an arrowheaded tongue, having springs attached thereto, and the box-lid provided with pivoted 1ingers shouldered at their lower ends to engage the tongue, and a lateh'designed to be interposed between the upper ends of the iingers, as set forth.

4. A box-body provided with an arrowshaped to'ngue, the box-lid having acleat uphave hereunto set my hand, at Milwaukee, in 3o the county of Milwaukee and State of NViseonsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH '.T, MONAI-IAN.

Witnesses:

H. G. UNDnRWooD, MAURICE F. FREAR. 

